Brain Teasers
One Vowel
What is the longest word in the English language that contains only one vowel?
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This one was dumb. I came up with a different answer, which according to your question would be correct.
Would you mind sharing the find with everyone else? Producing evidence of another 9-letter word that has only one vowel is going to make your claim much more believable.
I thought this was quite good. The closest I could get off the top of my head was zephyrs.
Apr 05, 2003
jimbo, isn't the y in zephyrs considered a vowel? Otherwise a word like schmaltzy could be an alternate solution. And we are talking about English words here, right, and no proper nouns? (My cat's name is Shcrophrzm)
Y is a vowel more often than it isn't. About the only time it makes the consonant y sound is when it starts the word. Every other time, it takes the place of a vowel. The letter W acts as a vowel on occasion too. And no, you can't use proper names. Basic Scrabble rules apply.
Hmmm... I certainly can't think of a longer word with only one vowel. I am curious, though, when is "W" used as a vowel? Nice teaser.
uummm, w isnt ever used as a vowel, and y is used as a constinent in times other than when it is the first letter! such as, toy, say, rayon, crayon, ray, reyn, payn, raya, and many more.
There are two words that use W as a vowel. Both come from Welsh, where if the national motto isn't "Pat, I'd like to buy a vowel", it darn well should be. The first is CWM, and it is a deep, steep-walled basin on a mountain (also known as a CIRQUE, excellent Scrabble challenge bait there), and the second is CRWTH, which is an ancient stringed instrument. In both cases, the W makes an "oo" sound as in booth or tool. CWM, CRWTH, and CIRQUE (they'll think you're trying to use French) are all in the US Scrabble dictionary, feel free to use them to bamboozle your friends the next time you play.
she never came up with nothing becuase she is a blowhard and her comment should be removed.
Ya learn something new everyday around here, loved the teaser, thanks!
Ya learn something new everyday around here, loved the teaser, thanks!
Well... if Y doesn't count as a vowel (which it shouldn't, by the way), then all of these words would fit the following criteria (some of them are very obscure, but I believe they can all be found in Dictionary.com or somewhere like that):
Hydranths (9)
Naphthyls (9)
Schmaltzy (9)
Flyspecks (9)
Glyceryls (9)
Strengths (9)
Symphyses (9)
Cymblings (9)
Gypsyisms (9)
Lynchings (9)
Lynchpins (9)
Mistrysts (9)
Pygmyisms (9)
Rhythmics (9)
Rhythmist (9)
Skylights (9)
Sprightly (9)
Strychnic (9)
Stylishly (9)
Symphysis (9)
Symphytic (9)
Triglyphs (9)
Triptychs (9)
Tsktsking (9)
Cryptonym (9)
Dystrophy (9)
Glyocsyls (9)
Gypsydoms (9)
Hydroxyls (9)
Klystrons (9)
Oxyrhynch (9)
Polyptych (9)
Cryptonyms (10)
Polyptychs (10)
Polyrhythm (10)
Rhythmists (10)
Syndactyly (10)
Dysrhythmic (11)
Polyrhythms (11)
Hydranths (9)
Naphthyls (9)
Schmaltzy (9)
Flyspecks (9)
Glyceryls (9)
Strengths (9)
Symphyses (9)
Cymblings (9)
Gypsyisms (9)
Lynchings (9)
Lynchpins (9)
Mistrysts (9)
Pygmyisms (9)
Rhythmics (9)
Rhythmist (9)
Skylights (9)
Sprightly (9)
Strychnic (9)
Stylishly (9)
Symphysis (9)
Symphytic (9)
Triglyphs (9)
Triptychs (9)
Tsktsking (9)
Cryptonym (9)
Dystrophy (9)
Glyocsyls (9)
Gypsydoms (9)
Hydroxyls (9)
Klystrons (9)
Oxyrhynch (9)
Polyptych (9)
Cryptonyms (10)
Polyptychs (10)
Polyrhythm (10)
Rhythmists (10)
Syndactyly (10)
Dysrhythmic (11)
Polyrhythms (11)
According to the publishers of the Oxford English Dictionary, the letter Y is either a consonant or vowel depending on how it's used; vowels are pronounced with an open vocal tract, consonants are pronounced with at least a partial obstruction of breath. So despite Y traditionally getting lumped in with the consonants, it functions more frequently as a vowel.
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